Ink roll interrupter for a multi-color rotary offset printing press



Oct. 17, 1967 INK ROLL INTEiQRUPTER FOR A MULTI-COLOR ROTARY OFFSET PRINTING PRESS '7 Sheets-Sheet l J B. ROOZEE 3,347,160

Filed June 17, 1965 Jazzzes .Barozzfoazee Oct. 17, 1967 J. B. ROOZEE INK ROLL INTERRUPTER FOR A MULTI-COLOR ROTARY OFFSET PRINTING PRESS Filed June 17, 1965 '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 WATTORNEYS Oct. 17, 1967 J B. ROOZEE 3,347,160

INKROLL INTEiiRUPTER FOR A MULTI-COLOR ROTARY- OFFSET PRINTING PRESS Filed June 17, 1965 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 I I N VEN TOR.

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INK ROLL INTERRUPTER FOR A MULTI-COLOR I ROTARY OFFSET PRINTING PRESS Filed June 17, 1965 7 Sheeis-Sheet 5.

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ATTORNEYS I l J. B. ROOZEE INK ROLL INTERRUPTER FOR A MULTI-COLOR ROTARY OFFSET PRINTING PRESQ Oct. 17, 1967 7 Sheeis-Sheet 6 7 Filed June 17, 1965 IN VENTORA N fimafizzrozzfioazee N} xkfz @W j ITORNEYS Oct. 17, 1967 J. B. ROOZEE 3,347,160

. INK ROLL INTERRUPTER FOR A MULTI'COLOR v ROTARY OFFSET PRINTING PRESS I Filed June 17, 1965 '7 Sheeis-Sheet 7 1 N N TOR. @77266158113022 00296 BY\7@%M/% @M%ATTORNEYS United States Patent Oilice 3,347,169 Patented Oct. 17, 1967 of Delaware Filed June 17, 1965, Ser. No. 464,784 7 Claims. (Cl. 101-209) This invention relates broadly to the general art of printing and more particularly to an improved multi-color rotary offset printing press.

One of the objects if the invention is to provide such a press which is sufficiently compact so as to permit convenient utilization thereof as a proof press, although it will become manifest as the press is described that the principles of the invention are of utility in a production press, and all of the advantages inherent in the invention are equally applicable to a production press.

Another object of the invention is to provide a multicolor oifset press whereby the plate cylinder can be easily moved out of engagement with the blanket cylinder during an initial inking operation without the necessity for concomitant adjustments of the various individual inking systems.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved arrangement for alternately moving the respective ink rollers of the various inking systems into and out of engagement with corresponding portions of the plate cylinder, such arrangement of the invention being relatively simple in design, compact in size, requiring a minimum number of parts, particularly moving parts, and extremely precise in operation by virtue of reduced weight and reduced throw of the moving parts.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a multi-color offset press having a physical arrangement, particularly for loading and unloading the stock, which lends itself to convenient operation by the press operator.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a multi-color offset press which is arranged so as to require a minimum amount of floor space.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved dampening system for an offset press.

Still another object is to provide improved means for maintaining a uniform ink profile for the ink rollers.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved and simplified arrangement for simultaneously moving and maintaining all of the ink rollers out of inking engagement with the plate cylinder.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved mounting for the impression cylinder of an offset press where-by the impression cylinder can be easily moved into and out of operative engagement with the blanket cylinder and whereby the width of the nip between the impression cylinder and the blanket cylinder can be accurately controlled.

Still a further object if the invention is to provide an improved arrangement for receiving printed stock from the impression cylinder.

Many other features, advantages and additional objects of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making'r-eference to the detailed description which follows and the accompanying sheets of drawings, in which preferred structural embodiments incorporating the principles of the present invention are shown by way of illustrative example only.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective View of a multi-color rotary offset printing press constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a schematic side view of the press of FIGURE 1 illustrating the general disposition of many of the rollers of the press and the general arrangement of the loading and unloading apparatus;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of the press with some of the parts omitted for clarity and with other parts broken away to illustrate improved means for moving the ink rollers into and out of engagement with the plate cylinders;

FIGURE 4 is an elevational end view of the press with certain parts removed for illustrating the arrangement of various rollers and drive mechanisms;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged side view of the upper portion of the press illustrating the relative disposition of certain rollers and also chain and sprocket driving arrangements;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary front sectional view of improved means for moving the ink rollers into and out of engagement with the plate cylinder;

FIGURE 7 is a top plan view of the dampening system of the present invention;

FIGURE 8 is a reduced schematic representation in end elevation of the dampening system of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevational view of means for providing reciprocal axial movement to vibrator rollers of the present invention; and

FIGURES 10 and 11 are, respectively, a side elevational view and a top plan view of apparatus associated with the apparatus illustrated in FIGURE 9.

As shown in the drawings:

Although the principles of the present invention are of utility in any rotary oifset printing press, a particularly useful application is made to a multi-color rotary offset press and an illustrative embodiment herein shown consists of a proof press for proofing the plates before the plates are utilized on a production press.

An assembled press embodying the principles of the present invention is shown generally at reference character 10 in FIGURE 1 wherein is illustrated a multi-color rotary offset press comprising a lower unit 11 upon which is mounted an upper unit 12.

The front 13 of the press may be conveniently defined as the sheet side and the back 14 may be defined as the cylinder side. The operator side is indicated at reference numeral 16 and an opposite side 17 is denoted the drive side, the roller drive mechanisms for the upper unit being located at that side of the press. A control panel 18 is located on the operator side of the lower unit 11, as well as a pair of inspection platforms as at 19 and 20 for the convenience of the operator in inspecting the rollers of the upper unit 12.

In order to supply paper stock to the press It) a feed mechanism 21 is located at the sheet side 13 of the press and comprises generally a feed table 22 upon which is loaded a supply of stock 23 to be fed in individual sheets into the press, and a delivery tray 24 situated directly below the feed table 22 for receiving the printed sheets.

Referring to FIGURES 2-4, the press 10 is more particularly characterized as comprising a plate cylinder 26 and a blanket cylinder 27. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the plate cylinder 26 is adapted to receive the plates upon which the images to be printed are developed and the blanket cylinder 27 may be covered with a layer of rubber or the like material for receiving the images from the plate cylinder.

The plate cylinder 26 is mounted on a shaft 28 which is journalled for rotation on a pair of bearings 29 and 30 fixedly mounted on a pair of end plates 31 and 32 of the upper unit 12. The blanket cylinder 27 is mounted on a shaft 33 journalled in a pair of bearings 34 and 36 fixedly mounted respectively on end plate 37 and 38 of the lower unit 11.

The diameters of the plate cylinder 26 and the blanket cylinder 27 are equal and their corresponding shafts 28 and 33 are vertically aligned on spaced parallel axes.

Suitable driving means are provided for rotating cylinders 26 and 27 and in the illustrated embodiment the driving member comprises an electric motor 39 mounted on the end plate 37 of the lower unit 11 and connected to the shaft thereof by means of a suitable gear mechanism is a pinion gear 40 connected in meshing engagement with a ring gear 41 fixedly mounted for corotation on the blanket cylinder 27. A complementary ring gear 42 is mounted for corotation on the plate cylinder 26 as a consequence of which the plate cylinder and. the blanket cylinder are corotatably interconnected for rotation in opposite directions.

Also mounted on the lower unit 11 is an impression cylinder 43 for pressing the sheets of stock against the blanket cylinder 27 as will be understood by those skilled in the art. The impression cylinder 43 is situated on the descending side of the blanket cylinder 27 and is mounted on an eccentric shaft 44 journalled for rotation on a pair of bearings carried by the end plates 37 and 38. A ring gear 46 is fixedly mounted on the impression cylinder 43 and engages in meshing relation with the ring gear 41 of the blanket cylinder 27 for rotation thereof.

Although the principles of the invention are applicable in a press adapted for any number of different colors, the illustrated embodiment of the press is a four color press and the periphery of the plate cylinder 26 is divided into four circumferentially adjacent portions indicated schematically at 47-50. An equal number of inking systems indicated at 51-54 are arranged in circumferentially spaced relation about the top portion of the plate cylinder 26.

Each of the inking systems 51-54 corresponds to one of the peripheral portions 47-50 of the plate cylinder 26 and is utilized in applying one. of four different color inks only to its corresponding portion of the plate cylinder 26. Each of the inking systems comprises generally an. ink drum 56 which, in the first instance, receives the supply of ink, a pair of doctor rollers 57 and Y58 which engage the ink drum 56, a pair of vibrator drive rollers 59 and 60, described in greater detail hereinafter, and two pairs of inking rollers as at 61-64, each pair of which is associated with one of the vibrator rollers 59 and 60.

A pair of dampening mechanisms indicated generally at 66 and 67 are situated ahead of the inking systems 51-54 and each comprises a drive roller 68 which rotatably engages a pair of dampening rollers 69 and 70. In order to dampen the drive roller 68, and consequently the dampening rollers 69 and 70, with water or the like, a transfer roller 71 moves back and forth between the drive roller 68 and a water drum 72 partially submerged in a water pan 73.

As noted, each of the inking systems 51-54 applies ink only to one of the portions 47-50 of the plate cylinder. Since the outer surfaces of each of the plates mounted on the respective portions 47-50 of the plate cylinder 26 all reside in the same circle, it is necessary that the ink rollers 61-64 of each of the inking systems be moved radially inwardly into inking engagement with its corresponding portion of the plate cylinder as that portion moves in front of its corresponding inking system, and it is then necessary that the inking rollers move radially outwardly out of inking engagement with the plate cylinder while the other portions of the plate cylinder rotate in front of the inking system.

In each of the inking systems 51-54 the ink drum 56, the doctor rollers 57 and 58 and the vibrator rollers59 and 60 are journalled for rotation on the end plates 31 and 32 of the upper unit 12 on fixed axes of rotation.x The inking'rollers 61-64, on the other hand, are journalled respectively on eccentric mechanisms .for movement radially with respect to the plate cylinder 26 into and out of inking engagement with the plate cylinder.

Referring particularly to FIGURES 3, 5 and 6, each of the inking rollers 61-64 is corotatably mounted on a shaft as indicated at 74. Each endof the shaft 74- is received in a collar 76 which is, in turn, corotatably mounted on a shaft 77.

Keyed to the shaft 77 for corotation therewith is a, sleeve member 78 which is journalled in a pairof bearing blocks indicated diagrammatically at 79 and 80 which are mounted on one of the end plates of the upper unit 12, end plate 32 being illustrated in FIGURE 6.

The forrn'roller shaft 74 is connected for corotation to the collar 7 6 by means of a spring locking mechanism 81 and the center line of the form roller 61 is offset with respect to the center line of the shaft 74. Thus, as the collar 76 rotates the axis of the inking roller 61 is moved radially inwardly or outwardly with respect to the plate cylinder 26 due to the eccentricity between the axes of the inking roller 61 and the shaft 74.

In order to rotate the collar 76, and thereby the shaft 74, an arm 82 is connected in fixed assembly to the sleeve 78 and extends radially therefrom, the distal end 83 thereof being moved radially inwardly and outwardly by means of a cam arrangement associated with the plate cylinder 26.

As noted, the press 10 is a four color press having four separate inking systems, and as best seen in FIG- URES 4 and 6, a corresponding number of axially spaced annular cam members 86-89 are mounted on both sides of the shaft 28 between the plate cylinder 26 and an adjacent end plate 31, 32 of the upper unit 12. A radially facing cam surface is formed on the periphery of each of the annular cam members 86-90, as indicated respectively at 90-93.

A rotatablecam follower as indicated at 94 in FIG URE6 is associated with each of the inking rollers 61-64 of each of the inking systems 51-54. Each cam follower is mounted on an embossment 96 formed on the radially inner end of a radially extending rod 97 provided with guide means for radial movement thereof. Each of the cam followers 94- -of each of the inking systems 51-54 is situated to engage one of the four cam members, and it will be appreciated that each of the cam members 86- 89 corresponds to one of the inking systems 51-54.

A radially outer end of each of the rods 97 is arranged to engage the distal end 83 of a corresponding arm 82, and it will thus be appreciated that as the plate cylinder 26 rotates, the cam followers 94 and the rods 97 will be moved radially inwardly and outwardly according to its respective cam surface to rotate its corresponding inking roller, thus moving the inking roller radially inwardly and outwardly. The cam surfaces 90-93 of the cam members 86-89 are designed so that the inking rollers 61- 64 of each of the inking systems 51-54 are moved into inking engagement only with its corresponding portion 47-50 of the plate cylinder 26 as the plate cylinder rotates, and is moved out of inking engagement with respect to the other portions of the plate cylinder. Thus, only one color of ink is applied to each of the various portions 47-50 as the plate cylinder 26 is rotated.

It may be necessary or, desirable for some purposes such as cleaning or changing the' various plates on the plate cylinder 26, to move all of the inking, rollers 61-64 of all of the inking systems 51-54 out of engagement with the plate cylinder 26, and to that end each pair of adjacent cam followers rods 97 is provided with an elongated dog 98 provided with a T-shaped hook 99 formed at the radially inner end thereof. The radially outer facing surface of each of the hook members 99 extends underneath a radially inner facing surface 100 of each of a pair of adjacent rods 99.

Means are provided for urging each of the dogs 98 radially outwardly to lift the cam follower rods 97 and correspondingly the inking rollers regardless of the relative disposition of the cam surfaces 90-93, and for this purpose each of the dogs is provided with a separate lifting mechanism which, in the illustrated embodiment, comprises a rotary solenoid indicated at reference character 101 in FIGURES 3 and 6 and an outer housing 102 of which is situated in a bore 103 formed in its corresponding end plate and fixedly secured thereto by means of a plurality of fasteners as shown at 104.

A radially extending arm 106 is mounted for corotation on a rotatable shaft 107 of each of the solenoids 101 and has mounted at the distal end thereof a wheel 108 engageable with the lower or radially inwardly facing of a corresponding hook member 99. Thus, as the solenoids 101 are energized, the wheels 108 rotated thereby engage an inclined surface 109 formed on each of the hook members 99 and lift or push the dogs radially outwardly, thereby effectively moving all of the inking rollers of each of the inking systems out of engagement with the plate cylinder 26. It will be appreciated that simultaneous energization of all of the rotary solenoids 101 can be accomplished by suitable electrical circuitry.

In FIGURE 5 it will be noted that the dampening rollers 69 and 70 of the dampening units 66 and 67 are mounted for eccentric movement into and out of engagement with the plate cylinder 26 in a manner similar to the mounting arrangement of all of the ink rollers 61-64.

Referring to FIGURES 7 and 8 the dampening unit 66 is more particularly characterized as comprising a water drum mounted for rotation on a frame 110 which is connected at opposite ends to the end plates 31 and 32 of the upper unit 12. The water drum 72 is partially submerged in the water pan 73 and is rotated by a suitable separate drive means such as, for example, an electric motor indicated at 111. The transfer roller 71 is pivotally mounted on the frame 110 for movement back and forth between the water drum 72 and the drive roller 68. The transfer roller 71 is mounted on an arm 112 pivotally connected to a shaft 113 which is mounted for rotation on the frame 110'. The arm 112 is connected in fixed assembly with the shaft 113 for corotation therewith, and also connected to shaft 113 for corotation therewith is a second arm 114 which extends from the shaft 113 at a slightly different angle than that of the arm 112.

In order to move the transfer roller 71 into engagement alternately with the water drum 72 and the drive roller 68, an actuator member in the form of a wheel 116 is connected in offset relation to the water drum 72 by means of an arm 117, and as the water drum 72 rotates the wheel 116 engages the arm 114 to rock or pivot the transfer roller 71 away from the water drum 72 and into engagement with the drive roller 68. As the wheel 116 rotates out of engagement with the arm 114- the transfer roller 71 pivots back into engagement wit-h the water drum 72.

It will be appreciated that the dampening of the drive roller 68 can be increased or decreased depending upon an increase or decrease in the speed of rotation of the water drum 72 which can, of course, be accomplished by utilizing a variable speed motor as indicated at 111. Both of the dampening systems 66 and 67 are similar in construction and operation.

Referring to FIGURES 5 and 9-11, it will be noted that the vibrator rollers 59 and 60 of each of the inking systems 51-54 are mounted respectively on shafts 118 and 119 which are journalled for axial as well as rotatable movement on the end plates 31 and 32 of the upper unit 12. Each of the shafts have mounted thereon adjacent the end plate 31 a pair of axially spaced annularly shaped collars 120 and 121 which receive in the space therebetween one of a pair of spaced actuator members or wheels 122 and 123 mounted on a bar 124 which is pivotally connected to the end plate 31 by means of a stud 126. The wheels 122 and 123 are located on opposite sides of the pivot point of the bar 124 and one end of the bar as at 127 is arranged to reside between a pair of spacer washers 128 and 129 formed on a splined shaft 130 which is mounted for axial movement in a complementarily shaped bore formed in the end plate 31.

Referring particularly to FIGURE 9, an opposite end 131 of the splined shaft 130 has mounted thereon a follower member 132 adapted to be received in a complementarily shaped circumferentially continuous groove 133 formed in the periphery of an enlarged diameter drive shaft 134 which is also mounted for rotation on the end plate 31. A chain sprocket 136 is mounted on the shaft 134 to provide rotation thereof in a manner to be described hereinafter, and it will be apparent that as the shaft 134 rotates the configuration of the groove 133 moves the follower 132 reciprocally axially with respect to the shaft 134, thereby reciprocating the splined shaft 130 with the effect of pivoting the bar 124 in an oscillatory movement about the stud 126. As a consequence the shafts 118 and 119 and correspondingly the vibrator rolls 59 and 60 are continuously moved reciprocally to maintain a relatively uniform ink profile on the ink rollers 61-64.

Referring to FIGURES 4 and 5, wherein some of the parts have been removed in the interest of clarity, a sprocket 137 is aligned with the sprockets 136, 136 of the two drive shafts 134 and is mounted on a rotatable shaft 138 journalled on the end plate 31 and also having mounted thereon corotatably therewith a gear 139 engaged in meshingrelation with a complementary gear 140 mounted on the plate cylinder shaft 29. A chain 141 is trained over sprockets 136, 136 and 137 for driving the drive shafts 134, 134 from the plate cylinder 26. An idler sprocket 142 is also mounted on the end plate 31 for maintaining optimum tension in the chain 141 as will 'be understood by those skilled in the art.

In addition, a sprocket as indicated at 143 is mounted on each of the shafts 118 and 119 which mount the vibrator rolls 59 and 60 and similarly a sprocket 143 is mounted on a shaft 144 which carries the drive rollers 68, 68 of each of the dampening systems 66 and 67 (FIG- URE 8).

A chain 146 is trained over each of the sprockets 143 to provide a common rotary drive for all of the vibrator rollers of the inking systems 51-54 and the drive rollers of the dampening systems 66 and 67.

The chain 146 is also trained about a drive sprocket 147 which is mounted on a shaft 148 also journalled on the end plate 31. The shaft 148 also has corotatably mounted thereon a gear driven by the ring gear 42 of the plate cylinder 26 through an intermediate complemental gear 149.

A plurality of idler sprockets 150 are also provided for maintaining proper tension in the chain 146 as well as for providing suflicient arc of contact with the various sprockets 143.

One of the features of the invention resides in the provision of means for moving the plate cylinder 26 out of operative engagement with the blanket cylinder 27 without the necessity for providing any corresponding adjustment of the rollers of the inking and dampening systems relative to the plate cylinder 26. For this purpose the principles of the present invention contemplate the provision of means for moving the entire upper unit 12 slightly vertically with respect to the lower unit 11. Thus, as shown in FIGURE 3, a shaft 151 which extends generally in spaced parallel relation to the axes of the plate cylinder 26 on the blanket cylinder 27 is mounted at an upper end of the lower unit 11 by means of a pair of brackets as indicated at 152. The shaft 151 is received in a complementarily shaped bore 153 formed in the end plates 31 and 32 of the upper unit 12 whereby the entire 7 upper unit may 'be pivoted upwardly away from the lower unit 11.

In order to pivot or rock the upper unit 12, an eccentric shaft 154 is mounted for rotation on the end plate 37 of the lower unit 11. A lower end 156 of an arm 157 receives the eccentric portion of the shaft 154 and at an upper end 158 thereof is connected to a shaft 159 mounted on the end plate 31 of the upper unit 12 in radially spaced relation from the pivot pin 151.

In order to pivot the eccentric shaft 154, a rocker arm 160 is corotatably mounted on the shaft 154 and depends downwardly at an angle therefrom to be connected to a piston 161 of a hydraulic cylinder 162 mounted in the lower unit 11.

The hydraulic cylinder 162 is of the double acting type, and a pair of fiuid pressure lines 163 and 164 are connected respectively to opposite ends of the cylinder 162 and to a double acting valve mechanism 166. The valve 166 is in turn connected to a suitablesource of pressurized fluid, and by means of suitable valve control mechanisms known to those skilled in the art, the pres surized fluid can be selectively directed to lines 163 or 164 to move the piston 161 in opposite directions.

As the piston 161 is moved outwardly to an extended position, the upper unit 12 is pivoted slightly about the shaft 151, thereby effectively disengaging the plate cylinder 26 from the blanket cylinder 27. During this raised or pivotedposition of the upper unit 12, the ring gears 41 and 42 of the blanket cylinder 27 and the plate cylinder 26, respectively, are maintained in meshing engagement with one another to maintain continuous corotation of the plate and blanket cylinders.

It will be appreciated that by moving the entire upper unit 12 slightly vertically upwardly to disengage the plate cylinder 26 from the blanket cylinder 27, the inking systems 51-54 and the dampening systems 66 and 67 are moved correspondingly and do not require commensurate adjustment due to the disengagement of the plate and blanket cylinders.

Also as shown in FIGURE 3, the shaft 44 which carries the impression cylinder 43 is mounted on an eccentric mechanism indicated generally at reference character 167 and which includes an arm 168, the distal end of which is connected to a piston 169 of another double acting hydraulic cylinder 170. A pair of pressurized fluid conduits or lines 171 and 172 communicate opposite ends of the cylinder 170 with another valve mechanism 173, as a result of which the impression cylinder can be moved into and out of printing engagement with the blanket cylinder 27. The movement of the impression cylinder 43 is also slight, however, and when it is moved out of printing engagement with the blanket cylinder 27 the ring gear 46 thereof continues in meshing engagement with the ring gear 41 of the blanket cylinder to maintain corotation of the impression cylinder and the blanket cylinder.

The eccentric mechanism 167 is mounted on a pair of collar brackets as indicated at 174. The collar brackets are mounted forpivotal movement at the lower portions thereof and an embossment 176 extending upwardly therefrom is formed with a threaded bore to receive a complementarily threaded stud 177 mounted on an end plate of the lower unit 11.

Rotation of the studs 177 has the effect of pivoting the brackets 174 slightly toward or away from the blanket cylinder 27 and as a consequence when the hydraulic cylinder 170 is pressurized to move the impression cylinder 43 into printing engagement with the blanket cylinder 27 the nip pressure between the impression cylinder and the blanket cylinder can be maintained at a predetermined value. A pair of locking nuts 178 and 179 are mounted on the studs 177 in order to lock the setting of the bracket 174.

In operation of the press, the plate cylinder 26 is initially moved out of operative engagement with the blanket cylinder 27 by actuation of the hydraulic valve 166 and the cylinder 162. The inking rollers 6164 of each of the inking systems are also moved out of engagement with the plate cylinder 26 by means of the rotary solenoids 101, and it should be noted that as the inking rollers are moved out of engagement with the plate cylinder 26, they continue to be rotatably engaged with their respective vibrator rollers 59 and 60.

The main drive motor 39 is then energized as a consequence of which the blanket cylinder 27 and the plate cylinder 26 areboth rotated and at the same speed, even though the working surfaces or peripheries of the two cylinders are not in operative engagement at this time.

A supply of ink is then deposited on each of the inkdrums 56 of the respective inking systems 5154 and as a result of the operation of the chains 141 and 146, all of the rollers of the inking systems 51-54 and the dampening systems 66 and 67 are put into rotation.

During this initial stage the impression cylinder 43 may be moved out of operative engagement with the blanket cylinder 27 by means of the hydraulic cylinder 170.

After the inking rollers have a proper application of ink thereon and a quantity of stock has been loaded on the feed table 22 of the stock loading system 21 (FIG- URE 1), the rotary-solenoids 101 are operated to enable the cam followers of each of the respective inking rollers to engage its corresponding cam surface to ink its corresponding portion 4750 of the plate cylinder 26.

Simultaneously the rotary solenoids of the dampening systems 66 and 67 are actuated to enable the dampening rollers 69 and 70 to operatively engage the plate cylinder 26. It will be noted that although the illustrated embodis ment of the invention comprises a four color press, there are only two dampening systems. Each of the cam followers for the dampening rollers 69 and 70 engages one of the cam members 93 and as a consequence thereof dampens only one of the four plates mounted on the plate cylinder 26 in order to avoid contamination or mixing of the various colored inks on the dampening rollers.

After portions 47-50 of the plate cylinder 26 have been properly inked, the valve 166 is actuated to operate the cylinder 162, whereby the upper unit 12 is pivoted slightly downwardly with respect to the lower unit 11, thereby operatively engaging the plate cylinder 26 with the blanket cylinder 27.

The stock feed mechanism 21 (FIGURES 1 and 2) is suitably operatively interconnected with the impression cylinder 43 so as to feed a single sheet of stock to the.

grippers of the impression cylinder for every four revolutions of the impression cylinder 43. It will be appreciated, therefore, that for every revolution of the plate cylinder 26 and the impression cylinder 27 a sheet of stock on the impression cylinder 43 is rotated four times on the impression cylinder. and thereby brought into printing engagement with each of the four quadrants of the blanket cylinder 27. Proper angular alignment of the plate cylinder 26, the blanket. cylinder 27 and the impression cylinder 43 is ensured at all times as a result of the gear train which drivingly interconnects all three of the cylinders, regardless of whether the cylinders themselves are in or out of operative engagement with each other.

After each sheet of stock has been rotated four revolutions on the impression cylinder 43, the grippers on the impression cylinder release the sheet to a corresponding set of grippers which are connected to an endless chain 180 which is trained over a pair of sprockets 181 and 182 which are situated between the feed table 22 and the delivery tray 24.

The grippers on the chain 180 are adapted to grip the sheet of printed stock as the chain moves across the upper reach thereof and to release the sheet on the lower reach of the chain as the sheet passes over the delivery tray 24. As a consequence of this arrangement the stock is loaded and the printed stock is released conveniently on the same side of the press 10.

It will be appreciated that the cylinders 162 and 173 may be of the pneumatic as well as of the hydraulic type.

Although minor modifications might be suggested by those versed in the art, it should be understood that I wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon all such modifications as reasonably come within the scope of my contribution to the art.

I claim as my invention:

1. A multi-color olfset press comprising a plate cylinder rotatably mounted on said press and having a fixed axis of rotation,

the periphery of said plate cylinder being divided into a number of circumferential segmental poritons,

a plurality of individual inking systems spaced circumferentially about the periphery of said plate cylinder,

each of said portions having corresponding inking systems and each of said inking systems comprising first and second rollers extending in parallel relation to said plate cylinder, means for rotatably mounting said first roller on a fixed axis of rotation, and an eccentric shaft rotatably mounting said second roller and rotatable to move said second roller between first and second positions, in the first position of which said second roller is in engagement with said first roller and said plate cylinder and in the second position of which said second roller is in engagement only with said first roller,

a plurality of annular cam members corotatably mounted on said plate cylinder in axially spaced relation and having respectively a cam surface residing in a radial plane, and

a plurality of cam followers mounted on said press for radial movement and engageable respectively with one of said cam surfaces and one of said eccentric shafts and operative upon radial movement thereof to rotate said one of said eccentric shafts,

said cam surfaces being arranged to move said cam followers and rotate said eccentric shafts such that the second roller in each of said inking systems engages only its corresponding portion of the periphery of said plate cylinder upon rotation of the plate cylinder.

2. A multi-color olfset press comprising a plate cylinder rotatably mounted on said press and having a fixed axis of rotation, I

the periphery of said plate cylinder being divided into a number of circumferential segmental portions,

a plurality of individual inking systems spaced circumferentially about the periphery of said plate cylinder,

each of said portions having corresponding inking systems and each of said inking systems comprising first and second rollers extending in parallel relation to said plate cylinder, means for rotatably mounting said first roller on a fixed axis of rotation, and an eccentric shaft rotatably mounting said second roller and rotatable to move said second roller between first and second positions, in the first position of which said second roller is in engagement with said first roller and said plate cylinder and in the second position of which said second roller is in engagement only with said first roller,

a plurality of annular cam members corotatably mounted on said plate cylinder in axially spaced relation and having respectively a cam surface residing in a radial plane,

1G a plurality of cam followers mounted on said press for radial movement and engageable respectively with one of said cam surfaces and one of said eccentric shafts and operative upon radial movement thereof to rotate said one of said eccentric shafts,

said cam surfaces being arranged to move said cam followers and rotate said eccentric shafts such that the second roller in each of said inking systems engages only its corresponding portion of the periphery of said plate cylinder upon rotation of the plate cylinder, and means independent of said cam members for rotating each of said eccentric shafts to its second position whereby all of the second rollers are disengaged from the plate cylinder. 3. The press as defined in claim 2 wherein said independent means comprises,

a plurality of rotary solenoids each of which comprises an arm operatively engageable with one of said eccentric shafts to rotate the shaft upon rotation of the solenoid.

4. In a multi-color offset press,

a rotatable plate cylinder divided circumferentially into a plurality of segments corresponding in number to the number of the different colors of the press,

a plurality of inking rollers spaced circumferentially around the periphery of said plate cylinder for applying ink respectively to different ones of said segment,

a plurality of eccentric shafts each mounting one of said inking rollers on the press and each rotatable between first and second positions at which its corresponding ink roller is moved respectively into and out of inking relation with said segments as said plate cylinder is rotated,

a plurality of cam surfaces on said plate cylinder corresponding in number to the number of segments thereon,

a plurality of cam follower means respectively operatively interconnecting one of said cam surfaces and one of said eccentric shafts,

said cam surfaces and said cam follower means comprising means arranged to move each of said eccentric shafts and inking rollers between said first and second positions as a function of rotation of said plate cylinder whereby each of said inking rollers is moved into inking relation with its respective segment and out of inking relation with the other segments during each revolution of said plate cylinder, and

means independent of said cam surfaces and engageable with said cam follower means for rotating said eccentric shafts to said second positions thereof independently of each other and independently of rotation of said plate cylinder.

5. In a multi-color offset press,

a rotatable plate cylinder divided circumferentially into a plurality of segments corresponding in number to the number of the different colors of the press, a plurality of inking rollers spaced circumferentially around the periphery of said plate cylinder for applying ink respectively to different ones of said segments,

a plurality of eccentric shafts each mounting one of said inking rollers on the press and each rotatable between first and second positions at which its corresponding ink roller is moved respectively into and out of inking relation with said segments as said plate cylinder is rotated, a plurality of cam surfaces on said plate cylinder corresponding in number to the number of segments thereon,

shaft rotating means for rotating each of said eccentric shafts including a plurality of cam followers respec tively operatively interconnecting one of said cam surfaces and one of said eccentric shafts,

said cam surfaces and said cam followers comprising means arranged to move each of said eccentric shafts and inking rollers between said first andsecond positions as a function of rotation of said plate cylinder whereby each of said inking rollers is moved into inking relation, with its respective segment and out of inking relation with the other segments during each revolution of said plate cylinder, and

means independent of said cam surfaces and engageable with said shaft rotating means for rotating said eccentric shafts to said second positions thereof independently of each other and independently of rotation of said plate cylinder.

6. The multi-color offset press as defined in claim 5 wherein said independent means comprises electrically operated means.

7. The multi-color ofiset press as defined in claim 5 wherein said independent means comprises a plurality of electrically operated rotary solenoids.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Schuerer 10l-177 Firm 101177 X Banzett 10l217 X Niles 101-2l8 Pollard et al. 101-477 Parmelee 101-177 X Lang et a1 101-218 X Osborn 101--2l8 Pickett et al. 101-175 Ritzerfeld et al 101144 H'arless et al. 101-218 ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner.

W. F. McCARTY, IR.,.Examiner.

J. R. FISHER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A MULTI-COLOR OFFSET PRESS COMPRISING A PLATE CYLINDER ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID PRESS AND HAVING A FIXED AXIS OF ROTATION, THE PERIPHERY OF SAID PLATE CYLINDER BEING DIVIDED INTO A NUMBER OF CIRCUMFERENTIAL SEGMENTAL PORTIONS, A PLURALITY OF INDIVIDUAL INKING SYSTEMS SPACED CIRCUMFERENTIALLY ABOUT THE PERIPHERY OF SAID PLATE CYLINDER, EACH OF SAID PORTIONS HAVING CORRESPONDING INKING SYSTEMS AND EACH OF SAID INKING SYSTEMS COMPRISING FIRST AND SECOND ROLLERS EXTENDING IN PARALLEL RELATION TO SAID PLATE CYLINDER, MEANS FOR ROTATABLY MOUNTING SAID FIRST ROLLER ON A FIXED AXIS OF ROTATION, AND AN ECCENTRIC SHAFT ROTATABLY MOUNTING SAID SECOND ROLLER AND ROTATABLE TO MOVE SAID SECOND ROLLER BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND POSITIONS, IN THE FIRST POSITION OF WHICH SAID SECOND ROLLER IS IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID FIRST ROLLER AND SAID PLATE CYLINDER AND IN THE SECOND POSITION OF WHICH SAID SECOND ROLLER IS IN ENGAGEMENT ONLY WITH SAID FIRST ROLLER, A PLURALITY OF ANNULAR CAM MEMBERS COROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID PLATE CYLINDER IN AXIALLY SPACED RELATION AND HAVING RESPECTIVELY A CAM SURFACE RESIDING IN A RADIAL PLANE, AND A PLURALITY OF CAM FOLLOWERS MOUNTED ON SAID PRESS FOR RADIAL MOVEMENT AND ENGAGEABLE RESPECTIVELY WITH ONE OF SAID CAM SURFACES AND ONE OF SAID ECCENTRIC SHAFTS AND OPERATIVE UPON RADIAL MOVEMENT THEREOF TO ROTATE SAID ONE OF SAID ECCENTRIC SHAFTS, SAID CAM SURFACES BEING ARRANGED TO MOVE SAID CAM FOLLOWERS AND ROTATE SAID ECCENTRIC SHAFTS SUCH THAT THE SECOND ROLLER IN EACH OF SAID INKING SYSTEMS ENGAGES ONLY ITS CORRESPONDING PORTION OF THE PERIPHERY OF SAID PLATE CYLINDER UPON ROTATION OF THE PLATE CYLINDER. 